A group of community members is banding together in hopes of reducing the number of unwanted animals in South Lane and Northern Douglas counties.
Janetta Overholser, a longtime shelter volunteer, said she often gets calls from friends about boxes of kittens found along the highway, and has found several strays outside her home.
She said a new group - Paws and Whiskers Society - is creating a cat, dog and rabbit spay and neuter fund.
Overholser, the group’s president, said many people don’t realize the true cost of taking a kitten from a friend, or a puppy from a post they saw on Facebook.
"I think we all realize that there's no such thing as a free animal,” she said. “Because by the time you take care of it the way it should be taken care of, it will cost you quite a bit of money. So we're just trying to help make it more financially affordable to have a pet."
PAWS plans to issue coupons for $100 off the cost of spay and neuter surgeries.
The group is a partnership with the Cottage Grove Elks Lodge. They’re raising funds with a garage sale at the Cottage Grove American Legion hall Saturday and a launch party at the end of the month.
More information about their efforts is available on the organization’s Facebook page.
